Urban Meyer
A fiercely competitive coach whose innovative spread offense and relentless drive delivered three national championships across two powerhouse college football programs.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American football coach·Birthday: July 10·Baby Boomers
Biography
Urban Meyer's coaching philosophy was forged in the gritty, blue-collar football of the Midwest. He cut his teeth as an assistant, but his vision became clear when he got his first head coaching job at Bowling Green, where he swiftly turned a losing program into a winner. His real breakthrough came at the University of Utah, where his version of the spread offense, a system that stressed speed and space, went undefeated and crashed the BCS party. This success catapulted him to the University of Florida, where he won two national titles with transcendent talents like Tim Tebow, creating teams that blended offensive fireworks with defensive ferocity. After a brief retirement citing health reasons, he returned to his home state to lead Ohio State, capturing a national championship in 2014. His tenure was marked by intense pressure and ultimate victory, though his later, brief foray into the NFL was less successful. Meyer's legacy is one of tactical innovation and a win-at-all-costs intensity that defined an era of college football.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Urban was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Urban Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Urban's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two BCS National Championships (2006, 2008) as head coach of the Florida Gators.
- Led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a College Football Playoff National Championship in the 2014 season.
- Guided the University of Utah to an undefeated 12-0 season and a Fiesta Bowl victory in 2004, the first BCS bowl appearance for a non-automatic qualifying school.
- Recorded an overall career winning percentage of over .850, one of the highest in major college football history.
Did You Know?
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State under Earle Bruce, who became his mentor.
He is a published author, having co-written a book on leadership and culture called 'Above the Line.'
Meyer's first head coaching contract at Bowling Green was for a salary of just $110,000.
He is a grandfather and has often spoken about the importance of family, despite the demanding schedule of coaching.
““The minute I think I can't do this anymore, I'm done. That's always been my mentality.””
